Thyroid Care - North Logan, UT

Cache Valley Ear, Nose & Throat treats both surgical and non-surgical conditions of the thyroid. Thyroid problems that may require surgery include thyroid cancers, large goiters that affect swallowing and breathing, and occasionally the treatment of Grave’s disease (a common cause of hyperthyroidism). Non-surgical thyroid conditions include hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Most of these conditions are lifelong and require scheduled follow-up.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body does not produce enough thyroid hormone for the body’s needs. Patients that have hypothyroidism are evaluated with blood tests to make the diagnosis. Treatment for hypothyroidism is thyroid replacement hormones.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the body produces too much thyroid hormone for the body’s requirements. Patients that have hyperthyroidism undergo blood tests and occasionally a thyroid scan.

The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Grave’s disease. Grave’s disease is an autoimmune disease that stimulates the thyroid to overproduce thyroid hormones. Treatments for Grave’s disease include medications to suppress thyroid hormone production, radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid, or surgery to remove the thyroid (total thyroidectomy). Once someone develops Grave’s they require lifelong help in managing their thyroid problem. Thyroid nodules are evaluated with an ultrasound and sometimes a needle biopsy.
Patients with a strong family history of thyroid cancer or a biopsy suggestive of thyroid cancer are taken to surgery for treatment and definitive diagnosis of their nodules. If cancer is diagnosed additional surgery (rare) and treatment with radioactive iodine may be given. The cure rate (survival) for a patient’s papillary and follicular carcinoma is high.

Parathyroid

The most common parathyroid problem we care for is hyperparathyroidism caused by a parathyroid adenoma or parathyroid hyperplasia. A parathyroid adenoma is usually a benign condition in which the adenoma releases too much parathyroid hormone (PTH) which in turn increases the amount of Calcium in the bloodstream. About half of patients with this disorder have vague or no symptoms. The other half may experience joint pain, bone loss, and osteoporosis, nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, fatigue, memory loss, abdominal discomfort, kidney stones, constipation, thirst, excessive urination, and anxiety.

Hyperparathyroidism is caused by a parathyroid adenoma, but can also occur from parathyroid hyperplasia (overgrowth of normal parathyroid cells). Parathyroid adenomas can occur as part of a Multiple Endocrine Neoplasm (MEN) type I and II (this is a rare condition). Parathyroid carcinoma can cause hyperparathyroidism. It is very rare. No one knows what causes these problems to develop.